Because of You
by Divine Enchantment
Summary: In a day that starts like any other, Harry and Hermione both have conversations that could change their futures.


**Because of You**

The sunlight forced itself through the gap in the curtains, sending fingers of light reaching into the semi dark room, spreading its new day touch slowly over the bed that dominated the room. A low murmur and the rustle of material were the first signs that life was present beneath the mound of covers. Then a hand appeared, reaching outward, pulling downward the duvet to reveal the sleepy face of a young woman, her hair spread around her head like a halo on the pillow.

Turning her head, she caught the brightness fighting its way through the window and smiled, for today was going to be a very good day. Sitting up, letting the covers fall about her lap, Hermione Granger smiled to herself, feeling happier and more content than she had for a very long time.

Briefly, and almost casting a shadow over her day, like it always did, her mind returned to her life at Hogwarts, to her time with Harry and Ron as they pitted their wits against Voldemort. And they had won. It had been a long battle. It had been a tough struggle, but they had won, and finally the darkness had been lifted from their lives, and now all that was left to do was to live it to the fullest.

She turned in the bed until her feet touched the slightly chilled floor, sending a shiver racing over her body. Standing, she walked over to the window and pulled open the curtains, blinking rapidly as sunlight burst into the room, chasing away the last remnants of night. She looked out into the street below, watching as life began to emerge into the quiet street.

Moving back to the bed, she grabbed her robe and headed off towards the bathroom, a tune coming to mind, bringing another smile to her lips. She could not remember a time when she felt so alive and so safe. Downstairs she could hear the stirring of a cup, indicating that other members of her family were awake, probably her mother, as Hermione knew she would have the hardest time sleeping.

>>>>

Harry looked into the mirror as he straightened his glasses and then ran his fingers through his hair, bringing it into a more organised mess. His eyes fixed to their reflection, unsure of what he was seeing. They were holding something, a feeling that it was so hard to put into words. Harry Potter was no longer the-boy-who-lived or the Chosen One. He was now Harry Potter, the man who had vanquished Voldemort from the world. The man who had saved the world from the tyranny that the Dark Lord had inflicted. He was a hero.

His hand moved to his scar, the one reminder of the Dark Lord that would not vanish with time. His trophy for being the one that had survived everything Voldemort had thrown at him, even as a baby still in his mother's arms. The thought led to another, one that made him proud and miserable at the same time, as there reflected in the mirror, but nothing more than images in his mind's eye, stood Lily and James Potter, smiling at their son with pride.

Shaking the thought away, he turned and strolled back into his bedroom, having completed his morning preparations. His towel was still wrapped around his waist following his shower. He looked around the room, almost as if memorising the view. He had moved into his flat following the end of the school year. He had cut his ties with Privet Drive, not wanting to be a burden or a slave to his Uncle and Aunt. He could still see their faces when he had turned up to their house to inform them that he was not coming back. Oddly they seemed rather sad to see him go, but he put that down to them having no one else to take their frustrations out on.

He wandered through into the living room, frowning at the mess that littered the floor and every surface that he had. He could not remember a time when he had been unsure whether there was actually any furniture in the room. He groaned loudly, knowing that he had at least one more chore that he could have done without. He moved over to the couch, where the steady breathing of a still sleeping Ron resounded around the room.

"C'mon, mate, it's time to wake up." Harry placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and shook slightly. "You don't want to be late."

Ron's eyes revealed themselves, then disappeared, then reappeared as he blinked himself awake. "What time it is?" He asked groggily.

"Seven thirty." Harry informed him as he walked away from the couch and headed towards the kitchen.

"You've got to be kidding?" Ron mumbled, as his eyes finally focused and remained open. "I feel like I've just closed my eyes."

Harry laughed from his place in the kitchen. "That's because you have." He opened the fridge and sighed as he looked at the contents inside. "I hope you aren't hungry."

Ron pulled himself up from the couch, scratching his head and yawning sleepily. Getting to his feet, he too looked around the room and groaned even louder than Harry. "It looks like a bomb hit us," he exclaimed as he made his way cautiously over to the kitchen door and peered inside at his friend. "It was a good night though, wasn't it?"

Turning, Harry faced Ron and grinned. "Yeah, from what I can remember." He placed his hand on his forehead. "Which isn't a lot."

Ron laughed, then instantly regretted doing so. "Wow, that was some party." His brow furrowed. "Shame Hermione could not have been here."

Shaking his head, Harry grinned. "I don't think she would have approved." He closed the fridge door and turned towards Ron. "She never did like it when we enjoyed ourselves."

>>>>

"Hermione? Are you up?" Mrs Grangers' voice floated up the stairs reaching her daughter's ears as she stepped out of the bathroom.

Smiling, Hermione moved to the top of the stairs, gazing down into the face of her mother. "Yes, I'm up and getting ready." She shook her head and laughed lightly at the expression on the older woman's face.

"I wouldn't want you to be late."

"There is no chance of that." Hermione smiled as she walked down the stairs, heading for the kitchen, where her mother had once more disappeared into. "Mmm, something smells nice." She moved over to the oven and looked at what her mother was cooking. "Are we expecting guests?"

Mrs Granger frowned as she looked at her pans. "Do you think I've made too much?" Her eyes caught her daughter's with a smile. "Well, it's better to be over prepared."

Hermione wrapped her arms around the older woman and hugged her tightly. "What would I do without you?"

Just then the sound of the doorbell rang, distracting the two, who turned towards the door leading into the hallway. For a moment they stood in silence, as if frozen to the spot, before Hermione released her hold on her mother, her brow furrowed.

Neither had too long to wait before the sound of the door being opened reached their ears, and the muffled voice of Mr Granger followed shortly after. Who the visitor was they did not know, as the reply was too low to make it from the door to the kitchen, where the two women waited.

"Look who's here." Mr Granger announced as he entered the kitchen, finally moving aside to let the new arrival be seen.

"Ginny?" Hermione was more than a little surprised to see the youngest Weasley standing in the doorway. "This is a surprise."

The red haired girl stood smiling uncomfortably by the door. "Hello, Hermione. I hope I haven't called at a bad time?"

Hermione looked first at her mother and then her father, before her eyes fell once more onto Ginny. "No, we were just about to have breakfast." She indicated a chair. "Would you care to join us?" She asked, her eyes revealing that she had a million question to ask, but would ask none in front of her parents.

Moving over to the offered seat, Ginny sat down, her gaze flicking between the three people in the room. "Thank you." She smiled, as Mrs Granger began to dish the food onto four plates, while Hermione and her father took their seats at the table.

>>>>

"You know she only did it for our own good." Ron grinned as he walked back into the lounge, careful not to trip over the bottles and other items that were scattered over the floor. "I'd hate to think of the mess we would have been in if it were not for her."

Harry nodded as he followed his friend. "Yeah, she certainly is a very special friend." His eyes found Ron's with a questioning glint. "Do you ever think about what might have been?"

Ron paused for a moment and nodded his head. "Sometimes. I used to think that there might have been something, if perhaps we had tried harder. I still love her, I always will." He smiled as a series of memories popped into his head, of his six and seventh year at Hogwarts, the times he had spent with Hermione. "But things happen for a reason. Do you have any regrets?"

Harry shook his head. "No. There was no other way for things to end than how they have. She wasn't right for me, Ron, and you know that. We would have ended up hating each other and I respect her too much for that." He paused for a moment in thought. "I used to think maybe we would have been good together, but…it just wasn't meant to be."

Brushing off some rubbish from one of the chairs, Ron lowered himself into the seat. "It's funny how things work out." He looked down at himself, frowning. "Is it alright if I grab a shower?"

Harry nodded and pointed towards the door of his bedroom. "Sure, go ahead."

>>>>

Breakfast had felt more than a little awkward to Hermione, and her parents struggled to make polite conversation with their unexpected visitor, who seemed to make conversation hard with her one word answers. It was with a look of relief that Mrs Granger rose from the table as the meal came to an end. Her father made a few pleasantries before excusing himself and disappearing into one of the other rooms, leaving just the two young witches sitting and staring at each other.

"Would you care to come upstairs and talk?" Hermione asked, wanting nothing more than to see the young Weasley refuse and leave the house, but she could not bring herself to tell Ginny that she was not wanted.

Ginny nodded. "Sure, if I won't be any trouble."

Hermione smiled and rose from her seat, wrapping her robe tightly around her as if she had suddenly become cold to the bone. She watched as her companion followed her example and got to her feet. With a brief smile to her mother, Hermione led Ginny into the hall and up the stairs to her room.

Once they were both inside, Hermione listened for a moment for sounds coming from downstairs, before she closed the door behind her, shutting the room into secrecy, before moving further into the bedroom. Her eyes lingered on Ginny, who had sat down on the edge of the bed.

"What can I do for you, Ginny?" Hermione asked, almost knowing the answer before she had finished.

"Harry." The single word spoke a lot about what the young girl had on her mind.

Hermione looked at her, no surprise showing on her face, but her eyes held sadness deep inside them. "I don't know what to say." She paused for a moment, not wanting this conversation. She knew how Ginny felt, she had seen the girl's suffering from the moment Harry had broken up their relationship.

"I want him back, Hermione." Ginny spoke softly, barely above a whisper. "I can't forget about him. I think about him all the time. He is there in my thoughts and in my dreams, haunting every moment." Her eyes met Hermione's, tears welling. "It hurts so much."

Hermione stood looking at the young witch, searching for the right words. "I…"

"Oh, I know, there is nothing you can do." Ginny got to her feet, her nervous energy making it difficult for her to remain still. "You've told me the same thing, over and over again. It's Harry's decision and no one can make it for him. No one can make him love them. Not me."

"This really isn't something I want to get into right now, Ginny." Hermione looked towards the door, as if she was expecting someone to come in any minute.

Ginny moved over to the window, her eyes focused on the world outside, her back towards Hermione. "No, it never was, was it? You never wanted to help." Her voice was low, but it shook slightly. "I just needed a friend, someone who would say the right thing, someone who could make everything better. But you couldn't do that, could you?"

She turned suddenly, tears streaming down her face and looked straight at Hermione.

>>>>

Harry finished clearing the last of the bottles, his wand still in his hand as Ron reappeared at the door, his hair still wet from his shower, but he was fully dressed. The dark haired wizard moved over to where he stood and pointed towards the kitchen. "See if you can fix us something to eat, it's going to be a very long day if we have to go through it with an empty stomach."

Moving swiftly to the kitchen, Ron began to rummage through the cupboards, frowning as his search revealed failure after failure to find something that could pass as food. "I was thinking in the shower."

"You go careful, Ron." Harry grinned as he poked his head around the door.

"Seriously, Harry. I was thinking about what might have been, if things had worked out as they could have." Ron paused for a moment. "If I had married Hermione and you had married Ginny, we would all be family right now."

Stepping in through the door, Harry nodded. "Yeah, we would." He placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "But some things are not meant to happen, Ron. And dwelling on them is not going to help matters." He frowned. "Are you beginning to regret what happened?"

Ron shook his head. "I miss her. She was fun to be with in a strange kind of way." He once more fell into his thoughts. "And we did have some good times. And she was a pretty good kisser."

Harry sighed. "There are more important things than kissing."

Ron grinned. "Name one?"

Laughing at his friend's joke, Harry stopped for a moment, and gave the question some thought. "Well, enjoying everything about the person you are with is very important. So is not only loving her good qualities but her faults too." He looked at Ron, who was staring back at him in surprise.

"What happened to you?"

Harry laughed. "I'm guessing, I found some sense." He pointed to the cooker. "You get working on breakfast, while I get dressed."

Ron's eyes remained on Harry until he disappeared out of the room. There had been much change in his friend over the last few months, almost like a new Harry had emerged. And in a way, a new one had. One that no longer had to look over his shoulder in case the Dark Lord was waiting for him. Ron liked this Harry.

>>>>

"I couldn't help you, Ginny." Hermione stammered, feeling her stomach jump in circles. "Do you think things would have been different if I had begged him to take you back?"

Ginny's voice began to rise. "Who knows? He could have loved me, but you turned your back on me. You were supposed to be my friend."

Hermione frowned. "I am your friend."

The younger witch scowled heavily. "No, you are not. You are not my friend. What you did is not something a friend would do." She shook her head, as if trying to clear a thought from her mind. "You did everything in your power to stop us being together. You stopped him loving me."

Inhaling sharply, Hermione took a step forward. "That isn't true. I never did anything to keep you apart." She paused for a moment, searching for the words she needed. "He stopped loving you, that's what happened."

"How could he love me with you always there, stopping us spending time together?" Ginny's pitch was getting higher and higher. "You did everything in your power to destroy what we had because you were jealous. First you ruined Ron's relationship with Lavender and then you ruined mine and Harry's."

Hermione's own anger was building. "I did not. I did not do anything to break up Ron and Lavender, and I did not break up you and Harry. He did that. He chose to leave you. It had nothing to do with me."

Ginny took a step towards Hermione, the tears running faster down her face. "You bitch." Her hand caught Hermione around the cheek with a resounding slap.

>>>>

"Mmm, that smells…interesting." Harry sniffed heavily as he walked into the kitchen, wondering what concoction Ron had whipped together for them. If his cooking was anything like his potions, the two of them were in for serious indigestion.

"Just something I've seem me mum make on occasion." Ron looked into the pan and then at Harry. "Well, it kind of looks like it should."

Harry shook his head, pulled out his wand and made the pans disappear from the hob, much to the disgust of Ron, who was looking a little wounded at the lack of trust from his friend. Moments later, the expression was swept away, as Harry swished his wand over the table and two edible breakfasts of sausage, bacon and eggs appeared, filling the room with an inviting aroma.

Ron took a seat at the table, looking at the food hungrily. "So, how are you feeling?"

Harry's stomach gave a low growl. "Hungry." He grinned and began to tuck into his breakfast.

Taking a few mouthfuls of food to satisfy his own hunger, Ron nodded. "I would give anything to have my head stop spinning." He frowned at Harry. "Tell me I don't look bad."

Laughing, Harry shook his head. "I'm not about to lie to you, Ron."

Ron let out a low groan. "My life isn't going to be worth living after to day."

"Mrs Weasley will go easy on you, Ron. With any luck, she'll see nothing by the back of your head until you feel better." Harry chuckled to himself as he once more attacked his breakfast.

"Very funny, Harry." Ron lowered his fork and ran his fingers though his hair. "I'd try a spell but I'd probably turn myself into something else." He groaned. "Where is Hermione when you need her?"

Harry looked Ron in the face. "We've always relied on her, haven't we? She's never let us down."

"Except that one time when she stopped speaking to us, when I was in that relationship Lavender," Ron pointed out.

"Yeah, I remember." Harry gave up eating his breakfast, and looked at Ron. "Have you really gotten over Hermione, Ron? Do you still love her like you used to?" His voice sounded grave and serious. "If she asked, would you take her back?"

Ron paused for a moment in thought. "Yes…No, and No."

>>>>

Hermione's hand rested on her throbbing cheek, tears springing to her eyes due to the stinging. Her brow was furrowed with puzzlement, her eyes blazing with shock and anger.

"You think you are so perfect and wonderful. That Hermione Granger can do no wrong. You are mistaken. You are selfish and you think only of yourself." Ginny stared at the other witch. "You ruined my life and you don't care."

"I didn't ruin it, Ginny." Hermione's voice was oddly calm despite the burning desire to attack and hurt the young woman before her. "It wasn't me that changed how Harry felt about you. You think I did, but I didn't." She felt a smile growing on her lips. "He made his own choice, without my help."

Ginny shook her head. "No, you made him love you instead." She looked as if she wanted to rip Hermione's eyes out. "He loved me, but you did something. Ron wasn't enough for you. You wanted what I had, so you took him from me. You made him love you! You are a selfish bitch, Hermione."

"No!" Hermione raised her hand, grabbing at Ginny's hand as she took another swing. "No, I didn't make him love me, it just happened. These things happen, Ginny. You can blame me all you like, but it will not change the facts." She loosened her grip and watched the younger woman's hand fall loosely to her side, the tears beginning to fall more rapidly.

Hermione remained silent, watching Ginny, seeing her body convulse as she sobbed. Ginny's hands moved up to her face, as she lowered herself to the bed. Hermione stood, not sure what to do or say. She felt sorry for Ginny, she really did, but even if she turned away from Harry, she knew he would never return to Ron's sister. He had told her as much himself.

Crouching down, Hermione placed her hand lightly on Ginny's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Ginny. If I thought that not loving him would send him back to you, I would walk away. But it wouldn't happen, and we would all be miserable. And Harry doesn't deserve to be unhappy anymore."

"But what about…me?" Ginny mumbled between sobs.

"You are a beautiful young woman." Hermione smiled, as she lightly brushed Ginny's hair from around her face, as the young witch lifted her head. "You will find someone, Ginny. Someone who will love you very much."

Ginny's eyes met Hermione's. "Did he…did he ever love me?"

Hermione nodded. "Once, yes." She pulled Ginny towards her, hugging her comfortingly. "But he needs me, Ginny, and I need him. We are like two parts of the same person. Apart we could never be happy." She felt the young woman nod her head against her body. "Please don't be angry with us. We cannot help loving each other."

For a moment, Ginny remained wrapped in Hermione's embrace, until she slowly pulled back, and looked into the older witch's face. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't want to do this. I thought I could be strong, but as the day grew nearer and nearer, it became so hard to bear." She smiled sadly, though it never quite managed to push away the sadness in the eyes. "I've been such a fool. I hope I haven't ruined your wedding day."

Hermione shook her head. "No, it can only get better from now."

>>>>

Ron looked at Harry and smiled. "You worry too much, mate. If I wasn't happy for you both, do you think I would have agreed to be your Best Man?" He rose from his chair and indicated the door. "We'd better finish getting ready. Hermione will not be pleased if you are late."

Harry merely smiled.

**The End**


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